Apparatus for perforating sheet material



7 Sept. 15, 1942 M. E. 'BECHTEL APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 15, 1942] s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Sept. 15, I942. M. E. B-ECHTEL 2,296,136

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING' SHEET MATERIAL Filed Feb. 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z0 lilihiiliiiiiiii A 5d INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 15, 1942.". M. E. BECHTEL APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING SHEET MATEEIAL Filed Feb. 13, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet L \m% Tliifi. A. m O ouwNmU G A \Ulih l 1 l I l i l. l l l l I IHHSHI a 5 ATTORNEYS M. E. IBECHTEL 2,296,136

APPARATUS FOR PERFORATING' SHEET MATERIAL Sept. 15, 1942.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed .Feb. 13, 1942 aa 'm lNvENTR BY W Ai'z o wys 1942 V 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 13

@JmQ Q Mu Mvm .0 RM n. @W q fig? n 1% 1%. o w 5? N i E {4 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS thus facilitate the work.

. in the method oiasseinbling the same.

Fig. 8..

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 a (PATENT OFFICE Arrami'rus FOB PERFORATING sneer MATERIAL Marley E. Bechtel, Kenmore, N. I, assignor to Irene N. Bechtel, Kenmore, N. Y. Application February 13, 1942, Serial No. 430,774

7 Claims. (01. 164-90) This invention relates more particularly to an apparatus for-perforating sheet metal although the same may be advantageously employed for operating on other like.material.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide perforating units for apparatus of this chara er which permit varying numbers of these ts to be employed in a perforating apparatus depending'on the number of holes which are desired.

i 1 1 Another object is to so coiistruct the unit that the same can be quickly installed in various locations in the apparatus for use and also quickly removed therefrom when no longer required and A further object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means. for accurately aliningthe punch and die of a perforating unit preparatory to forming a hole in the workpiece.

A still further object is to so mount the punch 20 of the punch section of each unit that the same can be quickly inserted in its holder and also re-' punch perforating apparatus embodying one form 0 this invention. V

, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. I

Fig. 13 is an end view of the same. V

Fig. 14 isslde elevation of a modified form of this invention.

Fig. 15 is aplan view of the same taken on line |5--I5, Fig. 14 looking downwardly.

Figs. 16 'and 17 are fragmentary vertical sections. on an enlarged scale, taken respectively on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 14.

In the following description similar reference 0 characters indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

This perforating apparatus is adapted to be used in connection with a power press which may be of any suitable or approved construction, those parts of the same shown in-the drawings consisting of a lower stationary table, bed or plate 20 and an upper reciprocating ram' 2l which moves vertically toward and from' the bed. In general this perforating apparatus includes one or more perforating units each of which comprises a punching section and a die section 'which cooperate for producing a hole in a work sheet 22 and which are mounted on the memto the other, the punching section in the present case being mounted on the stationary bed 20 and the die section on the movable ram 2 I. In practice a plurality of punching sections are mounted selectively on a horizontal lower sup- Fig. 3 is a top plan view, taken on line 2-4, porting plate 23 which is provided over the cen- Fig. 1, looking downwardly, showing the lower part of the perforating apparatus.

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections, on an enlarged scale, taken on lines 4l and 55, Fig. 3,. respectively.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the casing and stripp'er springs ofone of the punch sections of the perforating apparatus'showing the first step Fig. 7 is an end view of the same. Fig.8 is a view'simllar to Fig.6 showing the second step in the methed of assembling thecasing and stripper spring of a punchsection.

Fig. 9 is a .cross section taken on line 9-9;

Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a view similar to Figs, 6, a and 10 showing the last step in the method of assem blingtlie casing, stripper spring and punch of a punch section.

Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on-line n-lr,

tral part of its area with a plurality of punch section receiving openings 24 and a plurality of die sections are mounted selectively on'a hori- 'zontal upper supporting plate 25 which is provided over the central part of its area with a responding punch receiving openings in the lowe'r supporting plate.

40 Each of the punching sections is constructed provided on the central part of its periphery with a cylindrical neck 21 which fits snugly in 5 one of the openings 24 of the lower supporting plate "23, while the lower end of this tube projects below the underside of this plate and is provided with an external screw thread and the upper end of this tube is provided with an ex- -of this plate, as shown in Fig. 5.

The numeral 29 represents a punch casing whichpreferably has the form of an upright cylinder and provided at its upper end with an internal. screw thread 30 which works on ternal flange 28 bearing againstthe upper side the external thread of the companion guide .tube so thatupon tightening this casing on the tube the upper end of this casing will be pressed against the underside of this supporting plate.

ried thereby in the proper position for accurately cooperating with a companion die section and these means also permit of readily detaching the punch unit from the lower supporting plate when the same is not required or when the punch mounted thereon must be sharpened orreplaced when broken.

Arranged axially within the punch guide tube and the casing is a punch, the body 3| of which projects downwardly below the lower end of the casing and the bit or cutter 32 at the upper end of which slides in the bore of the guide tube 26 and is adapted to be arranged in an inoperative position within this tube or in an operative position'in which it projects above the guide tube. The casing 29 is retracted and yieldingly held in its retracted position by a stripper spring 33 preferably of helical form which is arranged within the casing around the punch and bears at its upper end against a downwardly facing upper shoulder 34 at the upper end of the casing,

, while the lower end of this spring bears against an upwardly facing lower shoulder on the lower part of the punch. This lower shoulder is formed on the punch by making a part of the punch adjacent to its lower or rear end of oblong form in cross section and thus producing two lugs 35 which provide upper and lower shoulders on the opposite sides of the punch. The downward or retracting movement of the punch under the pressure of the stripper spring 33 is limited by stop means which preferably consist ,of a shoulder formed by two stops 36 arranged on opposite sides of the casing and adapted to be engaged on their upper sides by the stop lugs 35 of the punch. Each of these stops 36 is preferably formed by cutting a circumferential slit 3! in the lower part of the casing and bending inwardly that part of the casing between the respective slit and the lower end of the casing so that the same projects inwardly from the bore of the casing and into the path of one of the stop lugs 35 on the punch. The procedure which. is followed in preparing the casing and assembling the stripper spring and punch therewith is as follows:

The first sttp in the preparation of the casing is to provide the same onthe diametrically opposite sides of its lower part with two circumferential slits 33 and then inserting the stripper spring into the casing so that the upper end of the same engagesthe upper shoulder 34 of the casing, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. The second step in the method of assembling the spring and casing is now performed by inserting into the casing from its bottom a mandrel having an upper end 38 of small diameter which enters the lower part of the spring, an oblong intermediate part forming a pair of lugs 39 projecting from diametrically opposite sides of the central part of this mandrel and engaging with the lower end of the spring, and a lower end 40 of large diameter forming an upwardlyfacing shoulder 4| adapted to'engage the lower end of the casing, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Upon inserting the mandrel into the casing and spring the latter is compressed by engagement of the lugs 39 with the lower end of this spring and the upward movement of the mandrel into the casing is limited by engagement of the shoulder H of the mandrel with the lower end of the casing.

'While the mandrel is thus inserted in the easing and the stripper spring is compressed, the third step in the method of assembling the casing and stripper spring is performed by bending inwardly those portions of the casing between its slits 31 and the lower end of he casing against opposite sides of the narrow part of the oblong section of the mandrel, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, so as to make the adjacent part of the casing oblong in cross section and form the stops 36 which project underneath the lower end of the stripper spring and prevent the latter from escaping from the casing upori withdrawing the mandrel from the casing.

Completion of the assemblage 'of the punch with the casing and stripper spring is effected by placing the punch in alinement with the axisvof the casing and stripper spring and so that the oblong part of the punch registers with the oblong part of 'the casing. After the punch is ar-' ranged in this position the same is moved into the casing and'stripper spring until the stop lugs 35 of the punch are above the stops 36 on the casing after which the punch is turned onequarter circle about its axis, whereby the stop lugs 35,, of the punch are carried over the stops 36 of the casing. Upon now releasing the upward pressure against the punch the stop lugs 35 of the latter will bear against the upper sides of the casing stops 36 and hold the stripper spring in its compressed position, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

Whenever it is desired to 'remove the punch from the casing and stripper spring for; the purpose of sharpening its bit or, when broken, to replace'the same by a new punch, this can be effected very quickly and easily by first turning the punch until its oblong part formed by the stop lugs 35 is in register with the oblong lower part of the bore of the casing between the stops 36 of the latter after which the punch can be freely withdrawn from the casing When assembling the elements of a punching section on the lower supporting plate of the perforating mechanism, the guide tube of this section is first placed with its neck in the desired locating opening 24 of the lower supporting plate so that the flange of this tube engages with the top of this plate and then the bit of the punch is introduced into the bore or opening of this tube from the.lower end of the latter and then the upper end of the casing is screwed onto the lower end of the guide tube 26 and engaged firmly with the underside of the lower supporting plate.

The punches of the several punch units engage their lower ends with the upper side of the bed 20 of the press and the supporting plate 23 is mounted on this bed so as to be'capable of moving vertically thereto for the purpose of lowering the casings.29 and guide tubes 26 so as to expose'thef top end of the punches above the The numerals 42, 42 represent, supporting bars secured crosswise by screws 43 toethe underside of the front and rear edge portions of the lower supporting plate 23 and guided relative to the press bed by means of posts 44 which are connected at their lower ends by screw joints '45 shown in Fig. 4.

n its upper side the is removed from the workpiece during the forma-.

the press bed. The upward movement of the supporting bars 42 under the pressure of the lifting springs 46 is limited by stops 48 formed on the upper ends of the guide posts 44, and the upper and lower ends of these springs are seated in recesses 49, 50 formed in the underside of the cross bars 42 and the upper side of the bolsters 41, Ior holding these springs against lateral displacement.- The lower bolstersare preferably secured to the press bed bymeans of the guide posts 44 which latter pass through the bolsters and are provided with shoulders 51 bearing against the top of the lower bolsters, as

lower, supporting plate may be provided with suitable gages 52 against which an edge of the workpiece may be placed for properly locating the same relative to the punch and die sections to produce the holes in the workpiece in the desired places.

Each of the die sections which cooperates with one of the punch sections for producing a hole in the workpiece is constructed as follows:

The numeral 53 represents the tubular body of a die, the central part of which has a cylindrical periphery 54 fitting closely or snugly into one of the die openings in the upper supporting plate 25 while the lower end of the same has a cutting edge around its bore and an external flange 55 which bears against the underside of Above the upper supporting plate 25 are arranged'a plurality of tubular clamping sleeves or tion of the. holes therein.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows:

When the ram is raised the lower supporting plate is raised by the stripper spring '33 and the bars 42 are. raised by the lifting springs 46 so that the upper ends of the punches are below the top of the guide tubes 25 and a gap is formed between the lower punch sections and the-upper -die sections of the several perforating units, as

shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5. While the parts are in this position the work sheet 22 is placed upon the guide tubes of the several punch sections, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 5, and then the ram is lowered. During the first part of the downward movement of the ram the lower supporting plate 2-3 and, the parts connected therewith remain at rest until the lower ends ofthe.

several die bodies of the die sections bear against the top of the workpiece and clamp the same against the upper ends of the guide tubes of the several punch sections and hold this workpiece securely against lateral displacement. During the continued downward movement of the ram the workpiece, together with the punch guide tubes,.punch casings and lower supporting plate 23, are depressed while the punches are at rest thereby causing the upper end of each punch to pass through the adjacent part of the workpiece and in the bore of the die, thereby punching a slug out of the workpiece and into the die and forming a hole in the workpiece. The slugs which are successively removed from the workpiece are pushed upwardly into the dies and eventually escape to the exterior of the apparatus through the openings 63 at the upper ends of the clamping sleeves 51. During the descent of the punch casings 25 the springs 33 are fur ther compressed and when the ram rises and the grip of the dies on the workpiece isreleased, the stripper springs hold the punches down in en- .gagement with the press bed iili whereby the nuts 51. Each of these clamping sleeves has its lower and bearing against the top of the uppersupportingplate 25and provided with an internal screw thread 58 which receives the external thread 56 of the respective die body and cooperates with the s'ame for detachably securing the V respective'die section to the upper supporting plate, as shown in'Fig. 5.

The upper ends of the several die clamping sleeves engage with the underside of an upper pressing plate 58 which is secured to the 'under-' side of the ram byscrews has shown in Fig. l.

The upper supporting plate.25 is secured to this pressing plate in a. spaced relation thereto by means of spacing sleeves 6i interposed between the marginal parts of theupper supporting sections.

upper or hitends of the punches are withdrawn from the workpiece and the latteris free to be removed from the punching apparatus and replaced by another unpunched workpiece. By mounting the punch sections on the sta--. tionary lower supporting piate'the apparatus can be operated faster and with less'power inasmuch as the punch sections are lighter than the die much as such reversal is possible without any material change in construction of the several parts of this mechanism, 7

By forming a plurality of holes 24 in the punc supporting plate and a plurality of corresponding plate and the pressingplate and fastening screws 7 '52 passing through this plate and the respective spacing sleeves and secured with their upper threaded ends to the pressing plate and bearing with the heads at their lower ends againstthe underside of the upper supporting plate, as shown in Fig. 4.

- 7 At its upper end each'of the clamping sleeves 51 is provided with a discharge opening 83 which extends from its bore to its periphery and through which escape, to the exterior of the apparatus; the slugs'which are formed by the stock which holes N in the die supporting plate, it is possible to select the corresponding pairs of such openings 'in these plates forlocating the perforating units in various places to suit the requirements of the particular job in hand, x

The construction of this invention as shown in Figs. 1-13 is more particularly adapted for direct connection with the bed-and ram of a power 0 press. For the purpose of enabling this invention to be used in-connection with a power press with out any fixed connection of the same the punch ing apparatus may be mounted as follows:

' Referring to FigsQM-l'l, the numerals 54 and represent lower and upper supporting plates Moreover the punch sections contain more parts and can be more easilymounted and an 1 example. horizontal pintle 66 mounted on an upper hinge which are arranged one above the other and upon which the punch sections and the die sections of the punching units are respectively mounted in the same manner so that the lowerends 3| of the punches engage with the top of the press bed 20 and the upper endsof the die clamping sleeves 51 engage with the underside of the pressing plate 59; I

In this construction the lower ends of the punches merely rest on the press bed and the rear ends of the supporting plates are connected with each other so that the upper supporting plate can be tilted upwardly for producing a gap between the lower and upper supporting plates for the introduction and removal of the workpieces into and out of their perforating position between the punch sections and die sections of the-several perforating units. For this purpose the rear ends of the supporting plates are pivotally connected by means which preferably comprisea plurality of hinges the number of which are varied according to the width of the lower and upper supporting .plates 64, 65, two hinges being employed in Fig. as Each of these "hinges includes a leat Gil secured to the'upper supporting plate 65 and a lower hinge leaf 6' mounted on the lower supporting plate 64 and provided with a vertically elongated eye 61 which loosely receives the pintle of the companion leaf, as shown in, Figs. 14 and 15. When the ram is raised the.

upper supporting plate is raised to form a gap between thesame and the lower supporting plate, which raising of the upper plate may be eifected either manually or by connecting the'front edge of the upper supporting plate by a chain 68, or the like, with the front part of theram so that the upper supporting plate will rise and fall in unison with the ram.

When using the apparatus shown in Figs. 14- 17 the lower ends of the several punches rest freely on top of the press bed 20 and the springs of the several punch sections hold the lower ,sup-

porting plate 84 in an elevated position so that the upper ends of the punch guide tubes 26 are a little above the upper'ends of the punches, as shown in the lower part of Fig. 17. After the operator places a workpiece on the punch guide tubes the upper supporting plate is lowered so that thelower ends of .the dies of the several die sections engage with the upper side of the workpiece, as shown in Fig. 17. During the last part of the descent of the ram the presser-plate 59 bears downwardly on the'upper ends of the several die clamping sleeves 51 and depresses the with the punch sections before the punches enter In order to accurately aline the die sections the openings of the dies, alining means are provided which are preferably constructed as follows and shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16:

The numeral 69 represents alining or guide tubes arranged adjacent to the side edges of the lower supporting plate 64 and each projecting downward through an opening in the adjacent part of the lower supporting plate SI and provided at its lower end with an external screw thread and providedat its upper end with an external flange III which bears against the upper side of the lower'supporting plate. This alining tube is secured to the lower supporting plate by an internally screw threaded coupling sleeve H which is connected with the'lower end of the respective alining tubeand bears against the underside of v the lower supporting plate.

Below each alining tube 89 is arranged a tubular guide casing 12 which is provided at its lower I end with an internal upwardly facing shoulder 13 and has its upper end connected with the internally threaded coupling sleeve H. The numeral 14 represents an upright supportin pin which is guided in the lower end of the guide casiing 12 and has its upper part arranged within this casing whileits lower end rests on the bed 20 of the press. The guide tube 69 and parts connected therewith is yieldingly held in an elevated position by a lifting or stripper spring 15 arranged within the guide casing I2 and around i therewith is limited relative to the supportingthe upper part of the supporting pin and bearing at its upper end against the lower end of the guide tube 69 and at its lower end against a lower shoulder 18 of the guide casing. Upward movement of the guide casing and the parts connected pin 14 by a shoulder I! on the guide casing en gaging with the shoulder 13 on the supporting pin.

The numeral 18 represents upper guide tubesarranged on the upperi'supporting plate 65 above the lower guide tubesGS and each passing upsame together with the punch guide tubes, whereby the upper ends ofthe punches pass through a plurality of places on the workpiece and push the slugs resulting from such perforation upwardly into the several die clamping sleeves.' Durin cn the initial-part of the subsequent upward movement of the upper supporting plate 65, the lowersupporting plate is raised in unison therewith by the stripper springs 33 until the latter have reached the limit of their expansion permitted by the casings 29 at which time the upper ends of the guide tubes 26 are a little above the bits of the punches and the workpiece has been stripped from the'same. Thereafter the upper supporting plate 65 and the die sections are moved upwardly independently of the punch sections leaving the space between the die sections and punch sections clear for removing the finished work and replac-' ing the same by new work.

wardly through'an' opening in this plate and provided with an extemal'flange I! bearingf against the underside of the upper supporting plate. The upper guide tube is secured to the upper supporting plate by an' internally screw threaded. clamping sleeve connected with the guide casing II and its lower part guided in the lower end of the upper guide tube. The upper end of the,alining pinisadapted to be engaged by the underside of the presser plate 5! and the lower end of theme is adapted to engage with the bore 84 of. the respective-alining tube 8!. 'I'he'entrance of the alining pin 83 into alining opening 84 is'i'acilitated by providing this pin with a conical lower end 85 and providing the aliningtube 69 with a conical upper end I. which conical ends are adapted to cooperate for telescoping this pin and alining tube preparatory dies for producing to engaging the punches and holes in the workpiece.

Each of the alining pins is yieldingly held in its raised position relative to the upper support- V I 1 2,29 ing plate and die sections by a cushion spring 81 arranged within theguide tube 18 and casing 8| and around the respective alining pin and hearing at its upper end against a downwardly facing shoulder 88 on the alining pin and at its lower end against 'an upwardly facing shoulder 89 on the lower part of the guide tube 18. Upward'movement of the alining pin relative to the upper supporting "plate under the pressure of the cushion spring 83 is limited by an upwardly' facing shoulder 90 on this pin engaging with the shoulder 83 on the guide casing 8|.

The hinge connection between-the rear ends of thesupporting plate is such that there is sufficient play between the hinge pintie and hinge eyes that'the upper supporting plate can swing freely in an arc toward and from the lower supof the lower-supporting plate 64, as. shown in Fig. 14.

I claim as my'invention:

porting plate but still permit. each of the dies" to accurately aline its die opening with the axis of the companion punch so they can move prop- ,erly relative to one another for producing a hole in the workpiece.

If during the descent of the upper supporting plate the dies thereon are not in exact register with the corresponding punches on the lower 1. A perforating apparatus comprising a supporting plate provided with an opening, a guide tube arranged in said opening and provided at one end with a flange engaging one side of said plate; a casing connected by a screw joint with the other end of said guide tube and bearing against the opposite side of said plate and pro--,

,vided with front and rear shoulders, a punch having a bit at its front end sliding in said guide tube and having its body arranged in said casing and provided with a shoulder engaging with the rear shoulder, on the casing and having its rear end projecting beyond the casing, a spring arranged in the casing and bearing at one end against the' front shoulder of the casing and a bearing at its opposite end against a shoulder supporting plate the' lower conical ends of the alining pins will engage the upper conical ends of the respective alining tubes and thus produce a wedge or cam action by cooperation of these conical ends whereby the alining pins will be on said punch, and a die cooperating with said punch.

2. A perforating apparatus comprising a supporting plate provided with an opening, a guide tube arranged in said opening and provided at one end with a. flange engaging one side of said plate, a casing connected by a screw joint with the other end of said guide tube and bearing against theopposite side of. said plate and provided with front andrear shoulders, a punch deflected until they are axially in line with the alining tubes and are thenpermitted to pass downward into said tubes.

. m it is possible for the alining pins to yield somewhat when their conical ends engage the conical ends of the alining tubes and thus permit the alining or centering of the same to be effected easily and noiselessly.

If desired the lifting of the upper supporting plate relative to the lower supporting plate may be eiiected by spring means, such as the helical springs 91, interposed between the front parts of these plates adjacent to the front corners thereof, as shown'in Fig. 14. 1

The upper side of the lower supporting plate 66 may also be provided with gages 92 against which the workpiece to be perforated may be placed for locating the same preparatory to the punching operation.

Owing to the simplicity of these perforating units, the same can be manufactured at low cost. The same are of sturdy construction and not liable to get out of order. Moreover, the sections v of' the several units-can be quickly applied to and removed from the supporting plates thus rendering this apparatus particularly suitable for readily changing from one punching set-up to another. I

, If desired the supporting plates may be strengthened by providing the same with ribs or flanges such,for example, as the downwardly projecting flange 6 arranged at the front edge having a bit at its front end sliding in said guide tube and having its body arranged in said casing and provided with a shoulder engaging with the rear shoulder on the casing and having its rear end projecting beyond the casing, a spring arranged in the casing and hearing at one end against the front shoulder of the casing and bearing at its opposite end against shoulders on .said punch; and a. die cooperating with said punch, said shoulders on the punch being produced thereon by making a part of its body transversely of oblongiform, and said rear shoul der on the casing being formed thereon by circumferentially slitting said casing on diametrical ly opposite sides of its lower part and bending inwardly those parts of the casing between said slits and the rear end of said casing so that the respective part of said casing is of oblong form and permits the passage of the oblong part of the punch therethrough.

3. A perforating apparatus comprising two supporting'plates which are pivotally connected at one pair of their corresponding edges and which are adapted to be placed between two relatively movable members of a press, a punch mounted on one of said supporting plates and engaging one of said ,press members, a die sea cured to the other supporting plate by means which engage the other press member, and means for'alining said punch and die preparatory to the cooperation between the same for producing a hole in a workpiece, including an alining pin yieldingly mounted on one of said plates and engaging one of said members, an alining tube mounted on the other plate and cooperating with said pin, and means for yieldingly supporting and guiding the other supporting plate on the respective press member including a casing connected with said alining tube, a guide post which engages the last mentioned press member and upon which said casing'slides, and spring means interposed between said alining tube and guide post and holding said alining tube away from the last mentioned press member.

4. A perforating apparatus comprising two supporting plates which are pivotally'connected at one pair of their corresponding edges and which are adapted to be placed between two relatively movable members of a press, a punch mounted on one of said supporting plates and engaging one of saidpress members, a die secured to the other supporting plate by means which engage the other press member, and means for alining said punch and die preparatory to the cooperation betw en the same for producing a hole in a workpiece, including an alining pin yieldingly mounted on One of said plates and engaging one of said members, an alining tube mounted on the other plate and cooperating with said pin, and means for yieldingly supporting and guiding the other supporting plate on the respective press member including a casing connected with said alining tube, a guide post which engages the last mentioned press member and.

upon which said casing slides, and spring means interposed between. said alining tube and guide post and holding said alining tube away from the last mentioned press member, said alining pin and alining tube having opposed conical ends I which are adapted to cooperate and cause the same to be centered relative to one another.

5. A perforating apparatus comprising two supporting plates which are pivotally connected .at one pair 01 the corresponding edges and which are adapted to be placed between two relatively movable members of a press, a punch mounted on one of said supporting plates and engaging one of said press members, a\die secured to the tube mounted in said opening, a casing connected tube, a casing in which said guide post slides, an

alining tube which receives said alining pin and which is connected with said casing, another supporting plate which carries Qaid alining tube and casing, and a spring interposed between said alining tube and guide post and which operates to move the plate which carries the alining tube away from the press member which is engaged by said guide post. v

6. A perforating apparatus comprising a supporting plate provided with an opening, a guide at its front end with said guide tube and provided at its rear endwith an internal shoulder,

a punch arranged in said casing and having its front end guided in said tube and its rear end projecting beyond the, rear end of said casing and provided on its side with a rearwardly facing shoulderadapted to engage with the shoulder of said casing and the punch being also provided 7 punch, arranged in said casing and having its front endguided in said tube and its rear end' projecting beyond the rear end of said casing other supporting plateby means which engage the other press member, and means for alining said punch and die preparatory to the cooperation between the same for producing a hole in a workpiece, including an alining pin engaging one of said press members, a guide post engaging the other press member, a tubular guide for said alining pin, a supporting plate which carries said tubular guide, spring means for projecting said alining pin arranged between the same and guide and providedon its side with a rearwardly facing shoulder adapted to engage with the shoulder of said casing and the punchbeing also provided with a forwardly facing shoulder, and a spring arranged in said casing and bearing against the forwardly facing shoulder ofthe punch, said shoulder on the casing being formed by a part' bent inwardly from said casing below a slit therein.

- MARLEY E. BECHTEL. 

